Will Black Republicans Stand Up Against Voter Suppression In North Carolina?

The Supreme Court ruled that North Carolina’s voter I.D. law will not take effect in time for this year’s general election.

Earlier this year, a federal appeals court struck down several provisions of the discriminatory law, saying it targets African-Americans with “almost surgical precision” in an effort to suppress the Black vote.

With the 2016 presidential election just around the corner, one would think Republicans would be increasing access to the polls, instead of attempting to limit it.

North Carolina’s voter suppression law is considered to be the worst in the nation. Roland Martin, host of NewsOne Now, questioned whether Black Republicans would stand up and demand that members of their party cease and desist these attempts to keep African-Americans from voting.

Ralph Chittams, Senior Vice Chairman of the Washington, D.C. Republican Party, told Martin, “I abhor any and all attempts to suppress anybody’s right to vote for any reason whatsoever.” But he stopped short of issuing a call to action for Black Republicans.

Michelle Bernard, Political Analyst and President and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy, addressed why suppressing the Black vote is so heinous: “Black people came here in chains and have built the country and are systemically denied the right to vote.

“People are spitting on Black people,menand women all over the country, and that’s why it’s incumbent on us to have a very serious discussion” about this topic.

Cleo Manago, CEO of the Black Men’s Xchange, explained Black Republicans should be concerned about voter suppression because they are being left out of the electoral process by way of “unprincipled means.”

Manago said these discriminatory voter suppression practices are impacting the families and friends of Black Republicans.

Martin then challenged African-Americans within the GOP to stand up against voter suppression tactics: “I would like to see Black Republicans as a group stand up and condemn the voter suppression in North Carolina, hold a news conference … In North Carolina, they made a specific clear attempt to strip Black people of the right to vote.”

Watch Roland Martin and the NewsOne Now panel discuss the North Carolina voter I.D. law and voter suppression tactics being used by Republicans in the video clip above.